Motor-carriage.



No. 653,877, Patented luly I7, |900. F. A. PERRET. MOTOR CARRIAGE.

(pplication led Jan. 25, IQOOJ 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 653,377. Patented July 17, |900.

r. A PERBET- MOTOR CARRIAGE.

(Application led Ian. 25, 1900.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' NITFED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. PERRET, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., vAS'SIGrNOR TO THE PERRETSTORAGEKBATTERY COMPANY, 0F SAME PLACE'.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,877, dated Julyl17, 19O.

Application led January 25.1900. Serial No. 217.39. (No model.)

To all whom it may coli/ecrit: t

Be it known that I, FRANK A. PERRET, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, (Brooklym) county of Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMotor-Oarriages, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

TheV especial object of the'pr'esent invention is to provide an improvedframe for connecting the running-gear of motor-carriages by whichthevdriving power shall be so transmitted that an efficient constructionmay be secured with very light running-gear and frame, while providingfor the free tilting of the axles independently of each other. While,however, this portion of the invention is especially applicable t0motor-carriages, my improved frame maybe applied also in connection withother carriages.

A further object of the invention is to pro-y vide an improved motormounting and driving mechanism for motor-carriages which is preferablyused in connection with my improved frame,the complete constructionforming a very simple, light, and efficient motorcarriage. p

For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of amotor-carriage embodying all the features of the invention in theirpreferred form will now be given in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and the features formingthe invention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a planview of the running-gear and framewith parts broken away for illustration. Fig. 2 is a vertical 4olongitudinal section on line 2 of Fig. 1 with 5o the opposite ends ofthe axles, so that lthe weight of theparriage-body is supported by theaxles close'to the wheels. The axles are preferably formed, as shown, ofstationary tubes 10, reinforced at the ends, where the frame-bars areconnected, as shown at 1, a strong light axle being thus secured. Thewheels C on the forward axle A may be mounted in anysuitable manner, butare shown as mounted in yokes l1 on the reinforced portions of the axle,so as to turn thereon for steering, and driving connections or gear Gfor securing the proper movement of the wheels are indicated in dottedlines which may be actuatedn any suitable manner for steering thevehicle.

To the reinforced portions of the tubes 10 of each axle are rigidlyconnected at the 0pposite ends of the tubes the V-frames H H, so as totransmit the strains from and to points close to the wheels C, whichV-frames meet at their apexes between the axles. These V- frames H H areshown as formed of T-irons to secure the strength vand rigidity requiredwith light metal, and they are preferably strengthened by brace-bars 12,running from about the middle of the tubes 10 to the bars forming theframes H H and at substantially right angles to the latter, thesebrace-bars preferably consisting of metal tubes, as shown, so as tosecure the strength and stiffness required with light weight. The barsforming the V-frames H H are connected at their apexes by a jointpermitting the V-frames to tilt or turn vertically independently of eachother. As shown, this connection is formed by sleeves 2, formed on theV-frames, which sleeves form a long bearing for a bolt 8, passingthrough the sleeves, and plates i are preferably selar'gedbearing-surfaces holding the frames rigidly in line, while at the sametime securtary movement. The frames HV H are preferably strengthened byconnecting-bars 13, which connect the front and rear V-frames at pointsabout opposite the brace-bars 12. It is obvious that theseconnecting-bars 13 of the V-frames upon the central pivotal coninectionformed by the bolt 3, and for this pur'- pose the connecting-bars 13 areshown as formed of comparatively-light T-bars, so that ing an extendedwearing-surface for the rocured to the ends of the frames to form enmustbe arranged so as to permit the turning IOO the twisting of the barspermits the rotation of one V-frame relatively to the other. The sameresult may obviously be secured by the use of rigid connecting-bars 13,jointed to the V-frames in such a manner as to permit the frames to turnon the bars, as by a ball-joint or otherwise. A

The construction thus far described is complete in itself and may beused with any suitable driving mechanism for the purpose 'oftransmitting power between the two axles of any carriage. In connectionwith this frame, however, I have devised a form of motor mounting anddriving mechanism, especially adapted for an electric motor, which ispreferably used in connection with this frame and forms a part of thepresent invention. In the construction shown I use a cross-bar 14,extending between theopposite bars of the rear V-frame and preferablyconnecting these bars at about the same points as the brace-bars 12connect therewith, this crossbar 14C preferably consisting of a metaltube, as shown. From this cross-bar 1-1 .and the side bars of the rearV-frame H, I drop by hangers 15 a motor-supporting frame I of suitableform, in which frame is mounted the motor K, which may be of anysuitable construction, being shown asan electric motor of common form,motor-frame I and motor K being mounted in line with the center of therear axle B. The tube 10 of the rear axle B is divided centrally, thetwo parts being united by a box 16, within which rotates a worm-gear 17,carried by driving-shaft 21 within the tube 10 of the axle and carryingone of the rear wheels, this shaft terminating in the box 16, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The other rear wheel may be mountedin any suitable manner, as on a stud secured in tube 10. Beneath thisworm-gear 17 is mounted in the box 16 ahorizontal wormshaft 18 at rightangles to the axle B and carrying the worm 19, engaging the worm-wheel17. The worin-shaft 1S is in line with the motor-shaft 20 and connectedthereto, preferably by a exible coupling 5. The driving power is thusapplied directly to the rear driving-shaft 21 and one of the wheels andtransmitted from the rear axle at points near the wheels to the frontaxle at points near the wheels, so that light axles may be used with thestrength and etlicient application of the power required. It will beunderstood that other connections than the worm-gear shown may be usedbetween the shafts 18 2l.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with front and rear carriage-axles,of two V-frames converging from points near the ends of the axles andunited between the axles and at the apexes. of the frames by a jointpermitting vertical rotation of the frames independently of each other,and brace-bars between the side bars of said V-frames and the axles,substantially as described.

2. The combination with front and rear carriage-axles, of two V-framesconverging from points near the ends of the axles and united between theaxles and at the apexes of the frames by a joint permitting verticalrotation of the frames independently of each other, and bars connectingsaid V-frames on opposite sides andpermitting the vertical rotation ofthe'V-frames independently of each other, substantially as described.

3. The combination with frontand rear carriage-axles, of two V-framesconverging from points near the ends of the axles and united between theaxles and at the apexes of the frames by a joint permitting verticalrotation of the frames independently of each other, brace-bars betweenthe side bars of said V- frames and the axles, and bars connecting saidV-frames on opposite sides and permitting the vertical rotation of theV-frames independently of each other, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the axles A,B, of

the V-frames H, H, connected at their apexes by a joint permittingvertical rotation of the frames independently of each other, bracebars12 between the axles and the side bars of said frames, and bars 13connecting the side bars of said frames on opposite sides andconstructed to yield under torsional strain to permit the verticalrotation of the V-frames independently of each other, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with front and rear axles A, B, of the V-frames H, H,connected at their apexes bya joint permitting vertical rotation of theframes independently of each other, cross-bar 14 connecting the sidebars of the rear frame H, a motor carried by said cross-bar and the sidebars of the rear frame H, brace-bars 12 between the side bars of therear frame H and the axle B, and a driving connection between said motorand the rear axle between the brace-bars 12, substantially as described.

6. The combination with front and rear axles A, B, of the V-frames Hconnected at their apexes by a joint permitting vertical rotation of theframes independently of each other, cross-bar 14 connecting the sidebars of the rear frame H, a motor carried by said cross-bar and the sidebars of the rear frame H, brace-bars 12 between the side bars of theVrear frame H and the axle B, driving-shaft 21 in the tubular rear axle,a worm-gear on the driving-shaft between the brace-bars 12,

and a worm-shaft in line with the motor-shaft and driven directlytherefrom for driving said worm-gear, substantially as described. j

7. The combination with front and rear carriage-axles, of two V-framesconverging from points near the ends of the axles, and each having atits apex a sleeve 2 extending inwardly from the apex of the frame, andbolt 3 in said sleeves securing the frames together 4with the ends ofthe frames abutting, substantially as described.

8. The combination with front and rear car- IIO means for securing theframes together and permitting vertical rotation of the frames andplates 4 independently of each other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

FRANK A. PERRET.

Witnesses:

C. J. SAWYER, A. A. V. BoURxE.

